Tuesday, April 15, 2014

We're all aware these days of the many ways that the genders are treated differently amongst humans. Similarly, I have noticed lately that bird photographers also tend to treat the genders differently. Google "Red-winged Blackbird" and take a look at the images. Nineteen of the first twenty photos that come up are of male Red-winged Blackbirds. This is much the same with other birds; the brightly colored and patterned males are much more likely to be photographed and identified than the less ostentatious females. It is possible to ascribe this imbalance to a natural preference for bright colors and sharp contrasts but this begs the question as to why that should be the case. Anyway, to redress the balance a little here are two photos of female birds: above is a female Red-winged Blackbird and below is a female Northern Flicker.

Wow, the female Red-winged Blackbird is dramatically different in colouring from the male. I would never guessed they are the same species.I am more and more impressed at the uniqueness of their calls, which no doubt they are highly responsive to.Recognition of the calls would allow Birders to be aware of what to look for long before visual contact is made.

Situated on the far west coast of Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital city of the Province of British Columbia. Its benign climate (the warmest winters in Canada) and placid lifestyle make it a favorite retirement location as well as a popular tourist destination. About 400,000 people live in Victoria and adjacent communities.Click the photos to see them larger!